Nockamixon State Park
The 5,286-acre Nockamixon State Park is in the rolling hills of scenic Bucks County, close enough to Philadelphia for a day trip, but far enough away for a vacation. Tohickon Creek, Three Mile Run and Haycock Run feed the 1,450-acre Lake Nockamixon, which is a rest stop for migrating waterfowl and a destination for boaters and anglers. Visitors can stay the night in a cabin or enjoy the many activities of the park for the day. Popular activities are picnicking, visiting the pool, hiking, biking and boating.
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Hiking - Biking - Mountain Biking - Horseback Riding - Picnicking - Swimming - Disc Golf - Boating - Windsurfing - Whitewater Releases - Fishing - Hunting - Education - Cross-country Skiing - Sledding - Ice Fishing - Ice Skating - Youth Hostel - Cabins Park visitors enjoy a variety of activities throughout the year. Most park areas are open sunrise to sunset. Fishing and boating is permitted 24 hours a day in designated areas. Some park areas are closed to vehicles in the winter, but some picnicking areas, fishing areas, trails and cabins are open year-round. Picnicking: Picnic tables and charcoal grills are in several areas of the park and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A pavilion can be rented. Some picnic areas are closed in winter, but Haycock, Tohickon, the Marina and Three Mile Run areas are open year-round.
Make a reservation. Swimming: The swimming pool complex includes a one-half acre main pool with two waterslides, a shallow end with fountains for children, dressing rooms, first aid station and snack bar. Weather permitting, the summer hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The pool opens for the Memorial Day weekend then weekends only until the second weekend in June when it begins seven days a week operation. The pool is typically closed on weekdays beginning mid-August and then reopens for weekends including Labor Day which is the end of the pool season. Check the Park Advisories on this website for updates. An admission fee is charged, with reduced rates after 5:45 p.m. Seasonal passes and group tickets for non-profit organizations can be purchased at the park office. Swimming lessons and water aerobics classes are provided by the lifeguards. The pool is available for party rentals. Swimming is prohibited in Lake Nockamixon. Boating: up to 20 hp motors permitted In addition to having the largest launch ramp in the park, the Marina has docking facilities for 648 boats up to 24 feet in length and a 120-space dry storage area for boats on trailers. Because of the tremendous demand for marina space a waiting list is maintained at the park office for seasonal slips or dry storage spaces. Marina slips may be rented on a short-term basis as available. Contact the marina office or park office for additional information and applicable rates. A boat rental concession has canoes, motorboats, rowboats, paddleboats, kayaks and pontoon boats during the summer season. Call directly to the boat rental for applicable rates and regulations. Explore the marina map. A boat rental concession has canoes, motorboats, rowboats, paddleboats, kayaks and pontoon boats during the summer season. Call directly to the boat rental for applicable rates and regulations. Motorboats must display a current boat registration. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park offices; launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Complete information on boating rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site. Established in 1974, the Nockamixon Sailing Club organizes activities for sailing on Lake Nockamixon. The club serves both racing and cruising sailors with a full calendar of events from April to November each year. www.nockamixonsailclub.org Windsurfing: Tohickon Boat Launch is popular for windsurfing. All boating regulations apply to wind surfboards, including the permits listed above. Whitewater Releases: Water is released from the dam on the first full weekend of November and the third weekend in March. The release provides an opportunity for whitewater enthusiasts to experience the thrilling run down Tohickon Creek to the Delaware River. Explore the Calendar of Events for the exact dates of the releases.
There is a fishing pier at the midpoint of the lake in the Day Use Area and an ADA accessible fishing platform near the Haycock Boat Launch. Volunteers, park employees and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission employees have installed fish habitat structures throughout the lake. A map showing the structures, water depths and specific features of the lake is available at the park office and the marina office. Fish Habitat Structures Map Fishing is Prohibited in these Areas:
Complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.
Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible hunting information. Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owner's car, trailer or leased campsite. The only exception is that law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms may carry said firearm concealed on their person while they are within the park. Complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site. Hiking: 35 miles of trails Sterner Mill Hiking Area: 1.5 miles High Bridge Trail: 2.5 miles Quarry Trail: 2.5 miles Old Mill Trail: 2.5 miles Old Haycock Road: 1 mile Southside of the Lake Trails: Biking: The popular paved bicycle trail winds through the Day use Area and is ideal for bicycles, strollers, wheelchairs and walkers. The eastern end of the trail begins at the Marina, which offers parking and great views of the lake. At the western end of the trail is a waterfall and the Old Mill Pond. A spur off the main trail passes two workout stations on the way to the swimming pool and playground. Caution:
Mountain Biking: 10 miles of trails Caution:
Horseback Riding: 14 miles of trails Disc Golfing: An 18-hole course in the Day Use Area begins from Parking Lot 13 by the Children’s Fishing Pond. Stay the Night
Explore the cabin map. Explore cabins for more information.
Make a reservation. Hostel: The Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation operates the Weisel Hostel along the Tohickon Creek in the northwest corner of the park. The hostel provides excellent overnight accommodations for hikers and bicyclists. For membership or reservations, contact the house parents at: Weisel Hostel, 7347 Richlandtown Road, Quakertown, PA 18951, 215-536-8749. www.buckscounty.org Winter ActivitiesExplore the Winter Report for the current snow and ice depths. Ice conditions can vary widely. Visitors are advised to use extreme caution when venturing onto the ice. Cross-country Skiing: The bicycle trail and the roads in the closed day use area are open for cross-country skiing. There are also steeper hiking trails in the Sterner Mill Area. Sledding: The area above the marina is used for sledding and tobogganing. Ice Fishing: Fishing is permitted on the frozen lake surface when conditions are suitable. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment. Ice Skating: Skating is permitted on the frozen lake surface when conditions are suitable. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment. Environmental Education and InterpretationNockamixon State Park offers a wide variety of environmental education, interpretive and recreational programs. Through guided walks, hands-on educational activities, children’s programs and evening programs, visitors gain appreciation, understanding and develop a sense of stewardship toward natural and cultural resources. Programs are offered during the school year. Teacher workshops and educational programs for schools are available. Please contact the park office for more information. Pontoon boat tours of the lake board at the Marina. These tours provide a history of the park and views of wildlife and beautiful scenery. Preregistration is required for the boat tours; please contact the park office. Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward. Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information. Access for People with Disabilities
In an EmergencyContact a park employee or dial 911. Nearest Hospital BirdingOver 250 species of birds have been recorded at Nockamixon State Park. The numerous habitats of the park are havens for birds and wildlife. The park has grasslands, overgrown fields, pine plantations, second growth forests, wetlands and the 1,450-acre Lake Nockamixon. The fishing pier in the Day Use Area is a great place to look for migrating waterfowl and raptors in the spring and fall. Over twenty species of waterfowl, including ducks, grebes, swans, geese and loons have been recorded in the park. The paved bike trail in the Day Use Area passes through forest, overgrown fields and picnic groves. Finches and sparrows are year-round residents. Spring and summer visitors to the area include Baltimore oriole, blue-winged warbler, prairie warbler and white-eyed vireo. The forest by the pool in the Day Use Area is a good place to see pileated woodpeckers, which have nested there. Phoebe and peewee are common summer residents of the park. Migratory warblers often visit to rest and refuel in the trees. The lake by the Marina is a great place to look for waterfowl, especially rafts of ducks during migration. In March and April, huge flocks of gulls pass through the area. Vultures roost by the Marina year-round. Nesting boxes in the grassy areas nearby the Marina host eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. Please do not disturb the nest boxes. The forest around the cabin area comes alive each spring with the songs of wood thrushes, veeries and ovenbirds. Summer visitors to Mink Trail are prairie warbler, Baltimore oriole, eastern towhee and white-eyed vireo. The varied habitats by the dam support diverse bird species. The hemlock dominated forest is a year-round home to woodpeckers and a summer breeding grounds for thrushes, scarlet tanagers and warblers. The spillway of the dam is a favorite spot for killdeer, sandpipers, herons, great egrets, kingfishers and osprey. The woodlot above the dam is home to wrens, rose-breasted grosbeaks and blue-gray gnatcatchers. Bald eagles have been spotted around the deep waters above the dam, but can be seen anywhere around the lake especially in September, February and March. Scenic VistaA pull-off along South Park Road west of the bridge over Tohickon Creek provides a scenic view of the dam spillway. In the winter, the water freezes into a myriad of colors and shapes and creates one of the park’s most spectacular sights. Sentinel RockThis unusual rock formation is downstream of the dam and upstream of South Park Road on the east side of the creek. Native and Warm Season Grass FieldsWhen the park was created in the 1960s, most of the land had been small farms. Since then, the fields became overgrown with non-native species like autumn olive and multiflora rose. The park has reclaimed many of these fields and planted them with native warm-season grasses like indiangrass, big and little bluestem and switchgrass. These grasslands provide a critical habitat which is rare in Pennsylvania. The fields benefit grassland birds like meadowlark, bobolink, and grasshopper sparrow as well as turkey, rabbit and small mammals. The name Nockamixon comes from the American Indian phrase “nocha-miska-ing” which is Lenni Lenape for “at the place of soft soil.” Several American Indian sites from the Lenni Lenape Tribe (Delaware) are documented in the park area. Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters, Dr. Maurice K. Goddard, proposed the park in 1958. The park was developed as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan for the Delaware River Basin. Originally known as Tohickon State Park after the principal stream flowing into Lake Nockamixon, it was renamed Nockamixon State Park by the State Geographic Board in 1965. The park officially opened in December of 1973. Keep in TouchAdd yourself to the DCNR's online community to receive info on this park, or parks in general. Volunteering
Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.
Join a Friends GroupThe Friends of Nockamixon State Park is a chapter of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation and qualifies as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission of the FONSP is to preserve, protect and enhance the natural and recreational resources of Nockamixon State Park for present and future generations. friendsofnockamixonstatepark-org.doodlekit.com/home Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Make a DonationTo a park - find this park's address below To a park or the Bureau of State Parks - Pennsylvania Parks and Forestry Foundation www.paparksandforests.org Through a purchase at a park gift shop Thank you for your support! Education ProgramsWe love when young people ask us how to get involved!
In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems. ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors. Explore education for more information on these and other programs. Explore the Calendar of Events to find a program near you. iConservePA
Come Work with UsPennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available. Tell us What You ThinkContact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park. Nockamixon State Park Nearby AttractionsInformation on nearby attractions is available from the Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau. www.buckscountycvb.org State Game Land 157: Encompassing 2,010 acres, the game land adjoins the northeast border of the park. Hunting and hiking are popular activities. Delaware Canal State Park: Visitors enjoy biking, hiking, boating and learning about the canal building era of American history. Ralph Stover State Park: Visitors enjoy seasonal whitewater boating and rock climbing. Maps and Downloadables
You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf). Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files: Recreational GuideNockamixon State Park Map (.pdf) (3.402 kb, 2/12) Interactive GIS MapThe Interactive GIS Map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road. Cabin MapNockamixon State Park Cabin Map (.pdf) (36 kb, 3/11) Marina MapNockamixon State Park Marina Map (.pdf) (50 kb, 3/11) Fish Habitat Structure MapLake Nockamixon Fish Habitat Structure Map (.pdf) (78 kb, 3/11) Common Birds BrochureCommon Birds of Nockamixon State Park (.pdf) (385 kb, 3/11) Swimming Pool BrochureSwimming Pool Brochure (.pdf) (732 kb, 5/13)
 Nockamixon State Park is along PA 563, just off PA 313, five miles east of Quakertown and nine miles west of Doylestown. The main entrances are along PA 563 and can be reached from PA 309 and PA 313, or from the north from PA 611 and PA 412. Driving Directions: The Interactive GIS Map has turn-by-turn driving directions to the park office from the Park Information Window. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road. Nockamixon State Park
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Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.
Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. 
Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. 
Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.